Cord manufacturing apparatus



Feb. 11, 1947. ADAMS ETAL 2,415,399

CORD MANUFACTURING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 11, 1945 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 11, 1947. ADAMS mL 2,415,399

' 0pm) MANUFACTURING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 11, 1945 s SheetS -Sheet 2 J fi. mews-e 5,74 A

19 TTOENEY Feb. 11, 1947. R. T. ADAMS ETAL CORD MANUFACTURING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 11; 1945 6 Sheets-Shei S R mw M Mr R J4 IVAGNEE M ma a ATTORNEY Feb. 11, 1947.

R. T. ADAMS ET'AL CORD MANUFACTURING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 11, 1945 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 ATTORNEY 1947- R. T. ADAMS EI'AL CORD MANUFACTURING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 11, 1945 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 I/V l/E N TONS E; T/iomws J H. WAGNER ,2.

Feb 11 1947. ADAMS -r 2,415,399

CORD MANUFACTURING APPARATUS Filed Jan; 11, 1945 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 H T TOENEY /N VENTO/QS E. THO/4M5 J H. WAGNER i a i if 5: Mm m MQQ QQ Patented Feb. 11, 1947 *sm'ras PATENT 1;;

I CORD MANUFACTURING APPARATUS Robert '1. Adams, Baltimore, Milt, and Julius A.

Wagner, Cleveland Heights, Ohio, aesignors tov Western Electric Company, incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application January 11, 1M5, Seriai No. 57.2,d

I 9 Claims. (till. 28-1) This invention relates to cord manufacturing taken substatntially along the apparatus and more particularly to an apparatus braid covering at intervals are supported on top of a rotatable turret carrying cordage positioning plates, in substatntial alignment with the reels. on which the individual conductors may be arranged to receive terminal members and to be cut apart between .the terminal members simultaneously'with the attachment to the cordage of metallic binding elements. Feeding devices individual to each associated reel and plate are provided for feeding a length of cardoge equal to the distance between the points where the conductors are thrown out through the covering,- thus to supply a length of cordage to each of the plates for each rotation of the turret. The metallic elements comprising the terminal members and binding elements are attached to the conductors and cordage by means of a punch press operating in synchronism with the turret and having a part of its tools mounted inside of the turret.

A complete understanding of the invention may be had by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. l is a side elevational view of a cord manufacturing apparatus embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a circuit diagram of the circuit connections and control switches for controlling the motors which withdraw-the cordage from the reels and direct it to the cordage supporting plates;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the mechanism shown in side elevation in Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is an irregular vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 6-4 of Fig. 3 in the direction of the arrows showing details of construction of the mechanism for feeding the cordage from a reel to a plate;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail view showing the cordage with the individually insulated conductors thrown out through its braid covering; I s

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view in elevation of one of the cordage supporting plates line 6-5 of Fig. 4 in the direction of the arrows and showing cordage on the plate after the braid covering has been severed and the cordage and the individually insulated conductors have been properly positioned on the plate; 7

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary detail view of the opposite ends of two cords formed in the apparatus disposed as they are after the punch press mechanism has attached, the terminals and binding elements to the cordage; A

Fig. 8 is a horizontal sectional viewtaken substantially along the line t8 of Fig. 4 in the .the cordage;

Figs. 10 and 11 are fragmentary sectional views on an enlarged scale and taken substantially. along the line It--iii of Fig. 8 in the direction of I the arrows, Fig. 10 showing the apparatus in its operated position and Fig. 11 showing the apparatus in the position it occupies just prior to the initiation of a'cycle of operation of the punch press;

Fig. 12 is a view taken substantially along the line il -42 of Fig. i in the direction of the arrows showing the tools on the movable head of the punch press and their associated mechanisms in elevation;

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary horizontal sectionalview taken substtantially along the line l3-i3 of Fig. 10 in the direction of the arrows showing some details of the tools for attaching the terminal members to the conductors; and

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line i l-M of Fig. 6 in the direction of the arrows showing some details'of the. mechanism which support the cordage supporting plate.

In the drawings, like reference characters designate the same parts throughout the several views, and particular reference will be first had to Figs. 5 and 7, wherein the cordage is shown before and after the terminal members and binding elements are attached to it. As shown in Fig. 5. cordage ii to be handled in the apparatus 24 and 2i throughout most of its length, but

-through which the conductors are looped at in-- tervals, as shown in Fig. 5. In the apparatus of the present invention. the cordage is fed to powas 7 22, which en- Provided for each reel The brush assemblies 81 andlt'u igs. 2,8 and .4) engage fixed commutatorrings' 86 and ii insulatedly mounted sition to have two oppositely disposed'terminal members 28 (Fig. '1) attached to each conductor and to have the conductors severed intermediate the points of attachment thereto some terminal members. In addition to the operation of attaching the terminal members to the conductors and cutting the conductors between the terminal members, a pair of retaining bandsin the form of an s-hook-2l and a stay band 22 are attached to the cordage at the point where the braid covering of the cordage has been severed in such mannerxthat the S-hook 27 and stay band 28 will prevent fraying of the braid covering 22 and will provide means for supp rting the cord in electrical apparatus, for whichit is designed. The stay band, as seen most clearly in Fig. 7, has a sleeve portion 29 tightly engaging the cordage and has a hooked portion 20 formed integrally with the sleeve is and adapted to be used in attaching the cordage to theelectlical upon the bearing post and-connected to a sour e 0. current 32. .Also mounted upon the bearing post 4! is a fixed abutment member It.

which is positioned ingthe path of movement of the switch actuator arms 6t individual to each v of the switches 58.

From the ioregoing, it, is believed to be appar- -ent that, each time, in the rotation of the turret 45, that the switch actuator arm 65. engages an abutment/member as, theswi-tch as associatedwith that actuator arm will momentarily be operated. Each of the switches 58'' is of the same construction and has a pair of interconnected apparatus in such a manner that strain wilLnot be applied to the terminalmembers 28. The 8- hook, on the other hand, is provided witha sleeve portion II, which tightly engages the cordage to prevent unravelling and which has loosely hung thereupon an S-shaped hook .22. The cordage; as shown in Pig. 5 is prepared in any suitable braid-' ing machine and is-wound upon reels 22 to Prepare the cordage for further processing in the apparatus of the present invention.-

' The apparatus for handling the cordage and completing the formation of the cords, as shown The turret has four identically formed nests ll formed in it directly beneath the reels 88 carried by the reel stands 54 and in each of these nests there is mountedv a motor Ii. The motor H may be supplied with power from the current source, '2 to drive a pair of feed rolls 12 and 12 upon operation of the switch 58. Since the switch 59 is only operated momentarily by the coaction of its actuator and It and the abutment $2, a holding relay (4 is provided for maintaining the circuit to the motor until a suilicient length of cordage II has been fed by the motor H. The circuit to the relay H is completed throughthe movable contact 85, which will be locked operated upon energization of the relay I! through a normally closed switch I! and will maintain the circuit to the motor ii until the switch II is opened. The switch II is mounted in the nest l0 and carries a forked actuator arm ll in position to be engaged by the conductors 22, 24

in Fig. I, is mounted upon a main base (Figs.

1 and 3), on which there are mounted a turret supporting casting ll and a punch press standard 42. The turretsupporting casting has extending upwardly from it a main bearing block 28 (Fig. 4), from which extends a main bearingpost N. The post M and the upper surfaceof the block it serve as bearings for rotatably supporting a turret 45, which comprises a relativelylarge annular casting having an apron portion 48 suspended from it, as seen most clearly in Figs. 1

and 4. Attached to the lower end of the apron and .25 at the point where they are thrown out through the braid covering 12 ofthe cordage 2|. The cordage throughout that portion of its length where the conductors are enclosed in the braid cover '22 will pass through the forked actuator arm without actuating it, being guided thereto by a guide member I 1. However, as soon as the conductors extending through the braid covering reach the point where they engage the actuator arm 18, the actuator arm 18 will be operated and will open the switch 15. As soon'as the switch It opens, the relay 14 will be deenergized and the circuit to the motor I I, through movable contact of rollers 48 freely rotatable on stud shafts 49 extending vertically from the main body of the turrent supporting casting L. The ring gear- -l'|, as shown inFig. l, meshes with a pinion l0 mounted upon a shaft II suitably iournalled in suitable gearing (not shown) to which motion is imparted through a gear reducer 52 from a motor 53 (Fig. 3). When power is supplied to the.

I the turret supporting casting 4| and driven by a v motor 82, it will, through thegear reducer I2,

shaft 5i and pinion 5., import. rotation to th ringgcar l1 and turret ll.

The upper surface of the turret l5, as'shown most clearly inFlgs. 3 and i, has mounted upon it four sets of reel stands 84-! adapted to receive shafts SI for supp rting the reels 32. The turret 48 has formed integrally with it a bearing sleeve II, which engages a bearing 58 on the main bearing post II and the sleeve. 38 extends slightly above the main body or the turret u to support a plurality ofbrush assemblies I'I-I'I and I242, and a plurality oiswitchesfl, there being one set-of brushes l1 and I2 and one switch b ll, will be broken. The motor will continue to feed cordage for a short length of time after switch I! opens due to its overrun and the loops of conductors 23, 24 and 25, which trip the actuator arm 16, will beied down past the feed rolls 12 and Il to a positionin alignment with a cord supporting plate designated generally by the numeral i8.

There are four of the cord supporting plates ll positioned about the turret l5 and since all of the plates ,are of exactly the same construction, only one of them need be described in detail. Each plate 18 is carried by a rectangular framework 85, on which the plate is mounted for a limited amount of horizontal movement. A. set of four posts 88 are fixed to the rectangular iramework in a manner shown most clearly in Fig. 14, each of the posts being suitably attached to a corner plate 81, which extends out over the cord supporting plate II; and the cord supporting plate beingnotched, as shown at ll.-

89- formed in part of the framework 85 and surrounded by a compression spring 8|), which bears against the inner surface of the plate 18 and nests in a socket 9| formed in the framework 85. A sleeve or collar 92 formed on the plate 18 and surrounding the post 88 limits the amount of movement of the plate I8 to the left (Fig. 14)

with respect to the framework 81 when the spring 89 and IN) to support a pair of. compression .springs IIII and I02 between-the left edge of a cutout I03 in the apron 46 and the right edge of the framework .85 (Fig. 1),. whereby the framework 85 and plate 18 supported thereby are normally urged to assume the position shown in Fig. 1. The framework 85 has its outer face extending tangentially of the circumference of the turret apron 16 and consequently carries its forward I edge (the turret rotates counterclockwise) in po. sition to be engaged by a stop lever II'I I (Fig. 3).

The stop lever It is pivoted on a bracket I05 and is interconnected by means of a link I06 to a bell crank leverv II", in turn pivoted upon a bracket I08 mounted on the press standard M. The lever lot is normally urged to. rock to the position shown in Fig. 3 by a contractile spring I09 attached to a pin I IE on the link I06 and to a bent pin I II fixed to the bracket I 08.

Suitably mounted upon the lever Hid (Fig. 3) is a switch II 2, which carries its actuator arm I I3 in the path of the forward edge of the frameworktfi, whereby, at the time that the framework 8-5 engages the stop lever I06, the switch I I2 will be closed to supply current to the clutch trip solenoid I It (Fig. 1) in the punch press. The clutch trip solenoid II 5, upon energization, will impart an oscillation to a bell crank leverII5 connected to any suitable clutch tripping mechanism (not shown) to initiate a single cycle of operation of the punch press. The punch press is adapted to be driven by a motor IIB mounted upon the main base 60 and driving a driving element III, which, in turn, drives a fly wheel H3. The fly wheel H8 is suitably journalled on the punch press standard $2 and, upon operation of the clutch trip solenoid IIQ, will drive an ecceninbefore, and eachof them is provided with mechanism for properly supporting the individual conductors 23, 24 and 25 and the cordage II in position to have the terminals 26, stay bands 28 and s-hooks 21 attached to them in the punch press. As shown most clearly in Figs.'6, 10 and 11, the plate 18 is provided with-cordage locating pi. s for'positioning the cordage to be operated upon by the tools of the punch press and it will be understood that after cordage has been fed by the feed rollers I2 and I3 down into position where the conductors 23, 2B and 25 loopedout through the braid cover 22 are approximately in alignment with the center of the plate I8, the braid cover on the cord may.be severed in any suitable manner and the cordag and conductors may be placed on the plate III, as shown in Fig. 6. wherein stationary locating pins II35 and I36I36 on the plate I8 are in alignment with similar pins I3l-l3l on the framework 85 and the cordage may be placed between these pairs of pins with the severed end of'the braid covering 22 adjacent pins I38. Similarly, the lower end of the braid covering 22 on the cordage should be placed between stationary locating pins I 38, which are aligned with stationary locating pins I39 for positioning the cordage. The lower end of the cordage 2i may extend down into an annular pan or trough MB mounted on the apron d5,

as shown most clearly in section in Fig. 4. After the cordage has been positioned between the sets of 'pins I35 to I39, inclusive, the individually insulated conductors 23, 2d and 25 may be threaded,

tric H9 through one complete cycle of rotation.

ried by the bell crank lever IB'I, whereby, as the punch press nears the end of its cycle of operation, the cam I25 will cause actuation of the bell crank lever I01 to move the lever Illtout of the path of the framework 85, whereupon the springs IIII and I02 will move the framework 85 back to its normal position at the completion of the punch press cycle.

All of the cord supporting plates I8 are of exactly the same construction, as pointed out hereas shown in Fig. 6, to engage stationary pins It'll-4M, ItZ-IM and to engage movable pins I63, IM and I65, respectively. The 'pins M3, WI and we are mounted upon blocks slidable in grooves in the plate 18 and since all of the blocks are of exactly the same construction, only block I416 supporting the pin we will be described in detail. Th block MS, as shown most clearly in Fig. 11, is slidable in a groove vI I'I formed in the plate I8 and is held in place in the groove Id'i by a retainer plate I 48, which is common to all of the blocks supporting the pins m3, IM and I 25. The block M6, which supports the pin N3, is urged to the left (Fig. 6) by a compression spring M9 seated in thegroove MI and the blocks I 16 supporting the pins Md and I (I5 are urged to the right (Fig. 6) by compression springs IN and I5I, whereby any slight inequality in the length of the conductors 23, 2d and 25 extending between the severed ends of the braid cover 22 will be compensated for.

The cooperating pins on the cord supporting plate I8 serve to support the cordage and indie I which pass through the just-mentioned apertures to attach the metallic elements to 'the cord-' age and conductors are supported by the main bearing block d3 (Fig. 4), on which thereis mounted a tool supporting-block I63, on which there is mounted a forming tool IN for form-- 7 -I notch I66. The forming tool I66 is held on the tool supporting block I68 by means of a tool holder I61, which also serves to hold terminal In order to feed the interconnected strips I66;-

-I68 and I64 into the apparatus, intermittently forming tools I68 and I66 and a stay band forming tool 16021 the block In. Intel-posed between the terminalforming tools I68 and I66-is a nest III for supporting three punches 112-412 and six conductor cutting tools I18. Each of the terminal forming tools I66 and I66 has three forming notches I14, as shown most clearly in Fig.8,

7 for forming the sleeve portions of the terminal members 26 into gripping engagement with the I6 and are in alignment with the tool receiving operated feeding devices are provided which operate on thereturn stroke of the press to feed the three strips into position in' the press. The mechanism for feeding the S-hooks and stay bandsare of exactly the same construction and,

accordingly, only one of them, that is, the stay band feeding apparatus, has been shown in detail. This mechanism comprises a bracket 2! mounted on plate I66 and having pivoted thereto a bell crank lever 2II oscillatable about a pin A 2I2. The bell crank lever 2 is normally urged band forming tool I16 has a forming notch I16 lever 2I6 pivoted on hand urged to engagethe apertures I66, I6I and I62. associated with them so'that when-the springs'66iare compressed, as will be described hereinafter, the plate I8, in moving to the left (Fig. 11) will carry the cordage and individual conductors into position in alignment with the tools. .The tool supporting block I22 carries tools for cooperation with those .just described, the tools being held on the block I22 by a toolholder I 86, in which the. various tools are nested. These tools comprise an s-hook forming tool I6I,a stay band forming tool I62, terminal member forming tools I63 and I86 and to rock clockwise about the pin M2 by a contractilespring 2I6 and its movement under the influence of the spring 2I6 is limited by an adjustable' stop member 2 adjustably fixed on the bracket 2161 The bell crank lever-2H has a feed interconnected" strip I66 of stay hands by a contractile spring 2I6 when the cross head IZI of the press is moved to the left (Fig. 9), the

'spring 2I3'will rock the bell crank lever 2| I clocka die member I65. In addition to carrying the.

just-described tools, the tool supporting block I 22 carries a stripper plate I86, which is supported on four support bolts I6'II8I slidably mounted in the block I22 and fixed at their lefthandends (Figs.'8 and 9) to the'stripper plate '-I66.'-I The*- plate I66 is normally urged to assume the posie upon by the tools or the press upon each stroke tion shown in Figs. '8 and 9by compression springs I66-I86 interposed between a surfaceof the block I22 and the plate I66 and surrounding the support bolts I81. Thestripper plate I86, as shown most clear in Figs. 8 to 12, inclusive, has guide plates I86, I and I6I suitably fixed to it for cooperating with-surfaces of the plate I66 to guide interconnected strips I62, I63 and I66 of S-hooks 21,

terminal.members 26 and stay bands 26,'respec- 'tively. The guide plate I66 hasgrooves I and I66 formed in it for receiving the partially formed sleeves of the terminal members 26, whereas the plates I66 and I 6| serve. to hold the intercom nected strips I62 and I66 of s-hooks and stay bands in grooves I61 and I66 formed in the plate -I86. The interconnected strips of S-hooks I62 are interconnected by a continuous web I66 (Fig.

12), from which the S-hooks are sheared inthe operation of the press and which is fed out of the press'through a passageway 266 after the S-hooks aresheared from it. The stay bands as fed into the press are interconnected by short webs. 26L- which extend between portions ofthe staybands and which aresheared between adjoining staybands in the operatm of the press and will be forced out of the plate I66 through a passageway v262 by succeeding webs enga ing them as the-interconnected strip I64 is fed into the press. Since, in each'operation of the press, six terminal members 26 are sheared from. the interconnected strip. I66 by the co-action of the punches II2 with their associated die I65, the scrap from this stripof metallic members is pushed out through the die I66.

of the press. terminal members comprises a bracket 2I8 havwise, thus to shift the feed lever'2I6 into engagement with a succeeding .one of the S-hooks in the strip. I66 and movement of the bell crank -2|I will be limited by the stopmember 2M. On-the retraction of the tool supporting block I22 to. the right (Fig. 9), an arm of the bell crank 2 will engage a fixed abutment 2" to rock the belicrank 2II counterclockwise and feed one-stay blind forward to position to be operated upon by its forming tools.

' The mechani'smfor feeding the S-hooks is ex actly the same as that described for feeding the stay bands and the mechanism for feeding theterminal members is substantially the sameexcept the mechanism for feeding the terminal members feeds six terminal members comprising three pairs of them into position to be operated The mechanism for feeding the ing a bell crank 2I6 oscillatably mounted thereon by means of a pin 226 and urged by a spring 22I to rock clockwise into engagement with a stop member 222. The bell crank lever 2I6 has a feed lever 223 pivoted on it and urged to rock clockwise by a, contractile spring 226 and operable to feed sixterminal members 26 in position to be operated upon by the tools by the engagement of the bell crank lever 2| 6 with a, fixed abutment 225. This mechanism operates in the same manher as the mechanism for feeding the stay bands except the stroke is slightly longer so that it will feed six terminal members 26 into association'with the tools for each strokeof the press.

In addition to supporting the mechanism for feedingthe interconnected strips of S-ho'oks, stay bands and terminal members to position to beoperated upon by the tools of the punch press, the plate I66 carries four bumper pads 236, which,

- in the operation of the apparatus, are adapted to engage the plate I8 and-move itfrom the position shown in Fig. 11' to the position shown in Fig.. 10 after the S-hooks 21 and stay bands 28 have been sheared from their interconnecting webs I66 and 26I, respectively, and transferred from their guide slots onto the .cordage 2I., Therefore, the springs 66 are made substantially stronger than the springs I66 so that as the tool supporting block I22 moves to the left (Figs. 3, 6,.

10 and 11), the bumper pads 266 will be carried into engagement with the plate "to lightly engage the surface of the stripper plate I66 with age 2|.

. I 9 the cordage 2i. continues to move to the left, the springs 98 being stronger than the springs I88, the plate 19 will remain stationary while the springs I88 are compressed slightly. During this compression of the springs I88, the upper edge of the S-hook forming tool I8I (Figs. 10 and 11) will shear an 3- hook from the web I99 and will transfer it from the interconnected strip I92 into engagement with the cordage 2i.

of the forming tool I8I cooperates with the plate I89 to shear the S-hook 21 from .its strip I92. The tool I81 is cut away as shown at 23I (Figs. 11 and 12) to receive the S-Lshaped hook 32 and has a forming notch 232 formed therein for cooperating'with the forming notch I66 of the forming tool I84 for forming the sleeve portion III of the S-hook into clamping engagement with the cord- This forming operation, however, does not take place until the springs 98 are being compressed and in order to insure that the tools I81 and I64 are properly aligned, liner pins 233 and 234 are mounted upon the tool supporting block I22 and extend through apertures 235 and 235 in the plate I86 and into apertures 231 and 238 formed in the cord supporting plate 18.

Since the short webs 28I which interconnect the stay bands extend between portions of the stay bands rather than along. n edge thereof, the stay band forming tool I82 is provided with ,a shearing portion 239 (Figs. 11 and 12), which cooperates with an edge of a slot 248 formed in the plate I86 to shear the stay bands from their interconnected strip I94. The tool I82 is further provided with a rounded forming notch 24I .adapted to cooperate with the notch I15 in the forming tool I18 after the stay bands have been sheared from their strip .194 and transferred by the tool I82 into engagement with the cordage 2|. The forming operation of cooperating tools I18 and 182 takes place during the compression of the springs 98, toward the end of the movement of the tool supporting block I22, to the left (Figs. 10 and 11) v The shearing of the-terminalmembers 25 from their interconnected strip I93 is efiected by the punches I12 .in cooperation with the die I 85,.

which, as shown most clearly in Fig. 12, is provided with three die apertures 242 in alignment with the punches I12. In the operation of the terminal forming tools, the sleeve portions of the terminal members 26 are engaged with the individually insulated conductors 23, 24 and 25 and the forming tools I83 and I84 move forward to engage the forming notches 243 formed on the tools I83 with the strip of terminal members and as the springs 98 are compressed, the forming tools I68 and I83 and I69and I84 will form the sleeves of the terminal members 26 into gripping engagement with the conductors 23, 24 and 25 at substantially the same time that the punches -I'I2 shear the terminal members fromtheir interconnected strip I93. As the terminal members are sheared from the strip I93, the conductor cutting tools I13 will engage the conductors and shear them against the terminal members, which are held by the fiat face of the die member I85.

In the operation of the apparatus, interconnected strips of s-hooks, terminal members and stay bands I92, I93 and I94 are positioned on the stripper plate I86and cooperating guide members I89, I98 and I9I in position to be fed by their respective feeding devices upon reciprocation at the cross head I2I of the punch press- As the tool'supporting block I22- Therefore, the upper edge 10 mechanism. After the punch press mechanism has thus been supplied with the metallic bindingelementsto be attached to the cordage 2i and individual conductors-23, 28 and 29, supply reels 89 loaded with cordage having the individual conductors :thrown out through its braid cover 22 at intervals may be mounted upon the reel stands 59 and power may be supplied to the motors 58 and M9 to drive the turret 95 and fly wheel H8, respectively. As the turret 45 rotates arms 99 engages the fixed abutment member 88.

the motor II associated with that switch actuator arm 84 will be started in operation due .to the completion of the circuit from the source of current 62 (Fig. 2) through the commutator rings go 88 and III and contact 86 of switch 59. When the switch 59 is operated by its actuating arm 64, contact 55 of switch 59 will complete a circuit'to energize holding relay .14 over a circuit from commutator ring 6i through the winding of the holding relay 14 and switch 15 back to the commutator ring 88. Thus, the motor 1| (Fig. 4) will continue to withdraw cordage 2I from the reel 33 and feed it down into the'trough or pan I48 until the looped conductors 23, 24 and 25 extending through the braid cover 22 engage the forked actuator arm 18 of switch 15. When switch '15 is operated by the conductors extending out through the braid cover 22 'on the cordage 2I ,'the circuit to the holding relay 14 will be momentarily broken and contacts and 66 will open. The motor II will, however, overrun slightly to feed the cordage from the position where the looped conductors engage the forked I switch actuator arm 16 down to approximately the middle of the cord supporting plate 18. If

insuflicient cordage is fed beyond the feed ,rolls 12 and 19, the operator may manually advance the cordage to properly position it over the plate 18 and after the cordage is thus fed down to position to be. worked upon, thebraid cover 22 may be severed in any suitable manner and the individually insulated conductors 23, 24 and 25 and the cordage, .at the point where the braid cover 22 is cut, may be properly aligned on locat- 9 ing pins I35 to I39 and IM to I45, as shown in Fig. 6, where the cordage and conductors will be positioned to receive the s-hooks 21, stay bands 28 and terminal members 26.

The turret 45 rotates continuously and the operation of placing the individually insulated conporting plate 18 is mounted, into the punch press portion of the apparatus, where the framework 85 will be blocked against moving with the turret 45 by the stop lever I84. As the framework 85 engages the stop lever I84, it will also oper- 5 ate the switch II2, thus to energize the clutch tripping solenoid H4 and initiate a cycle of) operation of the punch press. In the operation of the punch press, the eccentric I I9 will, through the pitman I28 and cross headI2I, move the tool supporting block I22 to the left (Figs. 1, 3,

fl, 8, 9, 10 and 11). As the tool supporting block J22 moves to the left in its ways I23 and I24. the stripper plate I86 will be moved .to the left to engage the bumper pads 238 with the cord supporting'plate 18. Since the springs 98 are stripper plate Ill willbe held iitationary for a short time-while the tool supporting block-It continues to move to the left,'thus-to shear a stay band 28 and-an Q-hook 21 from the interconnected strips of stay bands I andS-hooks I 92 and transfer these members into engagement with the 'ccrdage 2i. ence of the S-hook 21 and stay bands 28 from their interconnected strips to the cordage by means of the tools Iii and m. in cooperation, with the stripper plate I", is completed, the lefthand face of the tool holder I will engage the right hand face of the stripper plate Ill and positively move it to the left (Figs.'8, 9,10 and 11),.thus to compress the'springs ll and .engage the S-hook 21, which has been sheared from an interconnected strip, with the tool I which, in cooperation with the tool III, will clamp the S-hook onto the cordage 2 i Simultaneoush with the attachment of the S-hook 21 to the cordage 2!, the stay band 28 sheared fromits interconnected strip of stay bands in will be attached 4 to the cordage 2| by means of the tools ill and in. At the same time that the tools I, ltl,

I and I82 are operating on the 841601: and stay band, the tools I88, I83, m and I" will operate on theterminal members 26 to clamp them to the individually insulated conductors 23,14 and 2s and the punches n: will cut the terminals it apart through cooperation with the die member the individually insulated conductors against the surface of the terminal members it. In.this manner, the S-hooks, stay bands and terminal members will be attached to the cordage and conductors of the cordage to-form a. complete cord for each cycle of operation of the punch press and. the punch press will operate on each of the lengths of cordage 21 supported by a plate 18.

when the stop lever I blocks the movement of a framework It at the punch press portion of the apparatuavthe framework will be held-sta- As soon as this transferatlases 12 I ing material'irom the reel to association with the plate, and means individual to each reel and 'operable under control of drawn thercfrom for interrupting the operation-of the withdrawingmeans.- e

3. In a cord manufacturing apparatus, a rotatable turret, a plurality of supply reels carried by said turret, a plurality of cord positionin plates, one associated with each reel, means assoeiated with each real and plate for withdrawing material from the reel to association with the plate, means individual to each reel and olierable under control of material drawn therefrom for interrupting the operation of the withdrawing means, and a common control means for initiating operation of each withdrawing means.

4. In a cord manufacturing apparatus, a rotatable turret, a plurality of supply, reels mounted on said turret, a plurality of positioning plates slidably mounted on said turret in position to receive material from a reel, means associated 1 with each reel and plate for withdrawing the interrupting the operational? the withdrawing tionary while the turret it continues to rotate and the springs' illl and I02 will be compressed and will return the plate It and-framework 85 to the normal position, as shown in Fig.1,- after 'the stop lever I is moved out of blocking arrangement with the framework 8!. The lever I04 is moved out of blocking engagement with the framework 85 near the end of the cycle of the punch press due to the rocking of the bell crank'lever' iillthrough the action of the cam I25 and cam roller I28, which will move the link I06 to the left and move theblocking leverlifl out-of the path of the framework ll. What isclaimedis:

1. In a cord manufacturing apparatus, a retatable member having plates thereon for positioning cordage to be "processed, means for rotating the turret to carry the plates to aprocessing position, means for supporting a separate supply of cordage adjacent each plate, and means tatable turret, ap'luralityof supply reels carried by said turret, a plurality of cord positioning plates, one associated with each reel, means associated with each reel and plate for withdrawmeans.

5. In a cord manufacturing apparatus, a rotatable turret, a processing mechanism positioned adjacent the path of rotation/of the turrat, a' plurality of cord supporting plates carried by the turret into the processing mechanism, a plurality of reels carried by said turret in substantial alignment with the plates, and means controlled by material 'withdrawn from the reel forfeeding a predetermined length of material from the reel to association with a plate.

6. In a cord manufacturing apparatus, a retatable turret, a plurality of cordage positioning plates carried by the turret, asupply reel carried-by the turret for each of the plates, means for intermittently feeding lengths of cordage from the'supply reels to theplates means for cooperating with said plates for attaching metallic elements to the cordage, and means also coop- 1 erating with the plates for attaching terminal members to the individual conductors of the cordage.

' 7. In an apparatus for forming cords from multi-conductor cordage having the inividual conductors thrown out through its csovering at intervals comprising a plurality of supply reels having cordage thereon, means for carrying said supply reels in a predetermined path, cordage feeding means individual to each supply reel, and means controlled by the individual conductors in the cordage at the point where they are thrown out through the covering thereon for interrupting operation of the feeding means.

8. In an apparatus for forming cords from multi-condnuctor cordage having the individual conductors thrown outthrough its covering at intervals comprising a plurality of supply reels having cordage thereon, means for carrying said supply reels in a predetermined path, cordage means carried by the means for moving the supply reels in a predetermied path for initiating operation of the feeding means.

9. In an apparatus for forming cords from -means' controlled by the individual conductors in the cordage at the point where they are thrown out through the covering thereon for interrupting operation or the feeding means, and means carried by the means for moving the supply reels 1e in a predetermined path for initiating operation of the feeding means in automatic succession.

ROBERT T. JULIUS A. WAGNm RNCES CIT T. 1*

The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PA Y Name Date Page Apr. 5, 1932 Number 

